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WGSN agency, Business of Fashion edition and McKinsy and Euromonitor International consulting companies have published their forecasts for the development of retail market in this year. How far can they be applied to your fashion business?
The researchers have identified several important trends: blurring of market segments, going away from the seasonality, growing eco trend and unpredictable consumer behavior.
It is no longer possible to divide the audience by socio-demographic characteristic: 30-year old people behave like they are in their 20-s, and the latter ones respond more to the offers that brands proposed for 40-year men and women.
Transgender top models have become the stars of the catwalk. Designers and fashion houses, from Marc Jacobs to Hermès, have ceased to divide men's and women's fashion shows and started to mix collections for the sexes.
The feeling of age has been disappeared. Old age is no longer a time of senility and lack of attention to appearance. Now, it is the period of active, energetic "new maturity". 60+ consumers enjoy traveling, socializing with friends, mental balance and achievements of their grandchildren. This category is growing very fast. In response to the trend, Céline invited 80-year-old writer, Joan Didion, for their promotional campaign.
Frequent travels and change of climate zones lead to the disappearance of seasonality in the wardrobe. The consumer may need both a fur coat and a swimsuit in January. Therefore, the phenomenon of cross-seasonality has become more spread.
The giants of fast fashion continue to influence on the production cycles: their standards started influence on high fashion as well - all buyers want to make immediate purchases today. The concept of "saw - bought" has blown up the world market; the decision of the leading brands to change the timing of new collections causes ripple effect for the entire industry. On Tommy x Gigi show, a few things were bought even before the completion of the show. Some product categories of Burberry fashion show were completely sold out in the London boutique on Regent Street only the day after the show. A peak of sales of Tom Ford brand collection also fell on the day after the show.
Supporters of the trend are Tommy Hilfiger, Paul Smith, Burberry; opponents are Kering, LVMH holdings, the Haute couture, Ready-to-Wear and Couturiers French Federation and the National Chamber of Italian Fashion. Financial results of this trend will be known only at the end of the season. However, the questions have been already arisen are: how to predict the level of the unsold items, what should be the size of the reserves, and how to plan the production load in this case?
Brands have made it clear that they are ready to adapt to the new customers' demands, though. Burberry, for example, plans to tailor and show the collections simultaneously; the company arranges special closed demonstrations for wholesalers and journalists, before which the viewers sign a nondisclosure agreement.
"Through recycling, waste can be reborn as something beautiful. Just imagine a world where a dress can have a positive impact on the planet!" These inspiring words Natalia Vodianova says in "The Journey of a Dress" video, who became an ambassador of the new H&M Conscious Exclusive collection. The line of the Swedish brand that was launched a few years ago is dedicated to manufacturing of garments from the recycled waste: plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and worn items from past seasons. If you are sick of an old sweater or unfashionable plaid skirt, H&M will gladly take them in exchange for a generous discount. And then they will recycle it and make a perfect new tendentious dress as the result.
Today, 20% of H&M products is clothing made from eco-friendly materials. Each year, the brand tries to increase this figure and use new technologies in the production, which promise to make fashion friendlier to the environment. The dress for Natalia Vodianova for the Champaign, for example, was created from Bionic, a special synthetic fabric, which is made from bottles and coastal waste. "This is a great dress - lightweight and very pleasant to the skin. It is incredible to think that it is literally sewn from garbage", the model shared with the press.
Before her, H&M eco-collections were also presented by Natasha Poly, Vanessa Paradis, Amber Valletta, Olivia Wilde, and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, who popularized "sustainability fashion" among celebrities. They proudly posed in recycled clothes not only in advertising photo shoots, but also at numerous red carpets, confirming their active philanthropic position.
Valletta even ordered H&M eco-dress for "Met Gala-2016", the theme of which was "Fashion in the era of technology." Her blue dress made of taffeta, decorated with petals from organic silk and plastic sequins, was one of the most spectacular outfits of the Ball and called favorable reaction not only from fashion experts but from supporters of the green-movement as well.
Such stars as Lupita Nyong'o, Margot Robbie, and Emma Watson also went up to the Metropolitan Museum in the dresses from recycled materials, which were the result of cooperation between Calvin Klein and Eco-Age. Perfectly tailored dresses did not give away their true origin: only the next day after the event, it became known that they were not made of expensive Italian fabrics, but of the usual bottles. "Plastic – is one of the largest sources of pollution on the planet," Miss Watson explained her attire. "The fact that it was processed and turned into my costume for the Ball proves that fashion and modern technology can work together."
According to Emma, the documentary of Libya Firth "The real price of fashion" which tells about the harmful effects of the fashion-industry on air and nature became the inspiration for her choice of the apparel. One of the main roles in this film was played by designer Stella McCartney who joined in the fight for the health of the environment back in 2007. That time, she was one of the first who supported "Environmental Fashion Week" project and presented her collection of recycled items there, and then even convinced her colleagues from Adidas to take up the reproduction trend. Today, the company regularly releasing green-products - biodegradable suits, shirts and shoes from polyester, and sneakers from ocean debris and fishing nets, is fifth in the ranking of the "100 Most Sustainable Corporations".
Active supporters of sustainable fashion include not only people from fashion business. The wife of James Cameron, Suzy Amis founded a competition and website "Red carpet Green dress" that calling for celebrities to wear green dresses on the red carpet. According to her, outfits from recycled garbage at the major world events could significantly change the state of the environment, because in those moments, millions of fans look at the artists.
On the website, you can find photos of Naomi Harris, Meryl Streep, Missi Pyle, Sophie Turner, and even Michael Fassbender, who appeared in organic outfits at The Oscars. Amis prefers to wear dresses made of ethical silk that is made without killing silkworms.
Mrs. Cameron's innovative project draws on its side more and more designers and celebrities each year. The money got from the project is used to support a vegan child's school "Muse", which is based on the nature saving philosophy. All this sets, perhaps, the most important trend today, which makes the planet beautiful and healthy and deprives it of debris.
In recent years, shopping has become less time-consuming. You can even buy the full range of products for your offline store over the Internet, contacting suppliers or manufacturers via websites. This is fast, convenient and profitable, since wholesale prices in online stores are usually lower. You can save on the low delivery cost or discounts for regular customers. So, online wholesale purchases save your time and money.
Are there any risks, and what points you should pay attention to?
Perhaps, sometimes, it is more pleasant to visit a manufacturer's shop where you can drink a cup of coffee while sitting on a comfortable sofa and studying information about the product; moreover you can see or even try the thing on. But it is not always possible due to usual remoteness of clothing manufacturers. Such trips take considerable time.
A good online clothing wholesaler can compensate for the lack of coffee and seller's smile. In place of the sofa you may get a detailed description of not only the clothes, but also the feelings of putting it on, and get real customer reviews. Easy and fast delivery is much more pleasant than a cup of coffee, isn't it? The option of problem-free return and a variety of payment options make blind choices very comfortable and profitable.
In modern online shops, you can study even the smallest details of the product on your screen: producers and suppliers, who are confident in the benefits of their products and are ready for long-term cooperation, try to provide detailed pictures with zoom and even video demonstrations of their products.
If browsing the catalogue and characteristics of the goods is sufficient to form an impression of the quality and there is no need to check the product personally, it is a good sign. Poor quality photos and lack of detailed description (fabrics, sizes, cut features, and so on) should call doubts about the company and it is better to do the further research on it.
How else can you check reliability of a supplier or manufacturer via Internet?
In addition to the product catalogue, you should also check "About us", "Contacts", and "Payment and delivery" sections, where you can find all necessary information about the company. If these sections are not present or contain meaningless information, you should keep your ears open.
Also, notice the e-mail. Serious sellers use own domain, and not such free resources as yahoo.com or gmail.com.
Customer reviews, which can be easily found online today, help to define should you trust the company or not. It is better if the reviews are posted on third-party websites or forums and not on the company’s website, otherwise they can be fabricated.
The issues connected with online wholesale clothes purchases may be associated not only with the work of an online store. For example, problems with delivery of goods are common as well. Although it is not difficult to choose a reliable transport company today, unpleasant situations can occur. Typically they include: violation of the terms of delivery, violation of the integrity of a packaging, damage of goods, or loss of goods. If the purchase is made in a foreign online store, customs issues may also arise.
Men's and women's clothing is sold in bulk on many websites, but not all resources are popular. Popularity and reliability of a supplier or manufacturer, as well as favorable conditions for cooperation are the main factors for customers' choice for wholesale purchase. Among all items, clothes are one of the most complex products of online sales as it is harder to evaluate them without seeing. However, wholesale online purchases are future of any business. Just over an hour, you can select the required items, place your order, pay for it, and wait while a delivery company delivers it directly to your office.
Marilyn Monroe in Charles LeMaire, 1951
The 50's were the time of formation of the red carpet fashion. It was time of New Look by Dior with its usual post-war romantic, theatrical Givenchy, and feminine Balenciaga. This was the decade of three main cinema stars: Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly, who demonstrated designer creations, making them well known. However, sometimes the stars borrowed dresses not from designer collections, but from their own wardrobe, as this was in the case with Monroe.
At the Oscars in 1951, she appeared in a magnificent black dress made by Charles LeMaire who dressed the troupe of "All about Eve". Marilyn played a leading role in this move, and the film got six statuettes that year. For the award for Best Sound, the diva chose a dress that originally belonged to a different celebrity: several months before the event, Valentina Cortese was dressed in it in "The House on Telegraph Hill". However, Monroe was not embarrassed at all: having thrown a fur coat over the dress, she gracefully walked down to the Pantages Theater where no one could have taken the eyes from the uncrowned queen.
Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy, 1954
Unlike Marilyn Monroe who did not get the cherished statuette, Audrey Hepburn became the Oscar-winning actress for her performance in "Roman Holiday". For the triumphant appearance, she put on a lace gown by Givenchy that became her first "off-screen" co-operation experience with the designer. The outfit was identical to the costume made by Edith Head, in which Hepburn appeared in the final scenes of the movie. However, the Givenchy dress was relatively shorter and more modest, that emphasized the subtle Audrey's beauty.
Today, Audrey's floral dress has its own page on Wikipedia as an example of the ideal society look. Time magazine recognized it as the best dress of the Oscars and one of the most expensive dresses in the history; at the auction of vintage things in 2011, it was sold for nearly 132 thousand dollars, which is pretty expensive, even by Hollywood standards.
Grace Kelly in Edith Head, 1955
In the 50's, the staff designer of the Paramount studio Edith Head was more famous than any actress. During her long career, she worked in more than a thousand of foreign films and won eight (!) Oscars in "best costume" category. Edith dressed Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Debbie Reynolds, and Grace Kelly, and not only on screen, but also beyond it, transforming the unremarkable starlets into most stylish women of the era.
One of the most famous Edith's works is a dress for Miss Kelly. Made of blue satin and complemented by a light drapery and straps, it became classics of American glamour, and was often repeated afterwards. The cool color which was neglected at pompous events gave status to the Grace Kelly's look. Probably, this very dress helped her to play the last and major role in her career – the beautiful princess of Monaco and wife of Prince Rainier.
The third forum of fashion-industry experts, organized by the largest luxury-retailer Luisa Via Roma, took place in Florence in the midst of one of the major exhibitions in men's fashion world - 91st Pitti Uomo. This time, the main topic of the conference was modern technologies in fashion and the trends we will follow in 2017. Luisa Via Roma made the way from a small boutique in the center of Florence to the international multi-brand online retailer with one of the most successful sale platforms for luxury goods. In 1999, they were pioneers of online sales and have become innovators nearly for the past 20 years.
Here are 7 points which the company takes into account while developing of its own online strategy.
1. Mobile devices rule the roost
We cannot live without our smartphones – it is the most commonly used device today. To be closer to its customers each brand should develop a website and special application adapted for smartphone, which will allow demonstration of the product even on a small screen: this will increase the sales immediately! Crazy statistics: we check our phones from 3 to 27 times in an hour!
2. Easy shopping
The head of Luisa Via Roma Andrea Pankonezi draws attention to the paradox: buyers choose the most simple ways to make purchases online, but this can be provided only by very complex technical platforms.
3. Video - format of the future
The head of Lifestyle department in Italian market research agency Nielsen, Cristina Papini, explained the growth of fashion brands' investments in creation of media content: "Yes, money continues to be invested in print advertising, but development of video content is in the second place now. And while big brands have just started doing it, social media snaps at their heels. Video is a way to create a strong emotional story that evokes trust to the brand."
4. Performance analysis
You should not make decisions, relying only on your intuition. Only a thorough analysis of online performance can provide information about the correctness of your strategy. Analyzing the figures helps brands to know their customers and to send them the right message in response.
5. Relevance of place and time
It is meaningless to show a coat on your page in April, or linen - on a website with a dominant male audience. Content of the homepages should be the hallmark of the company, informing on the DNA of the brand. The idea underlies business microsegmentation is spending less money with maximum efficiency. Killing statistics: a buyer needs only 6-8 seconds to make a choice regarding the website. Therefore, your influence must be 100%!
6. Tell a story
Who said that the Internet is a cold and impersonal mass media? Some digital brands actively use empathy to attract loyal audience and keep "friendly" relations with it (such as US Glossier or French Sézane). So, it’s time to start sharing emotions, impressions, and personal experiences; do live video with ease, make personalization service - be closer to your audience!
7. Influencers
It is impossible to assess the level of a blogger only by the number of subscribers or readers. First of all, brands need to take into account energy and emotions that blogger can trigger and which he/she shares with the readers. The main thing is the quality of the audience and the level of content. And numbers are always relative.
Jaimie Alexander at "Thor: The Dark World" premiere, 2013
Do you remember the role of Jaimie Alexander in "Thor: The Dark World"? No? Neither do we. But everyone remembers the girl at premiere of the movie in LV-1046 Rīga because of the half naked dress. Despite it is risky to make any movement in the dress, it looks very elegant.
Rihanna, CFDA Fashion Awards, 2014
That dress still remains the "most scandalous" Rihanna's attire. She wore it in order to take the prize in "2014 Style Icon" nomination. The Adam Selman dress was custom-made costume made from silver mesh fabric and embroidered by hand with 230 thousand (!) Swarovski crystals. The dress, for sure, was not intended to be comfortable - the main aim of the dress was shining in the spotlight.
Rita Ora, Vanity Fair Oscar Party, 2015
In February 2015, Rita Ora, apparently, decided to outshine the winners at the after-party of the Oscars. The singer came in a maxi-dress the most part of which was totally transparent. She left the indelible impression.
Irina Shayk, Vanity Fair Oscar Party, 2015
Two in one - tights and dress – a dream of every woman! Besides, the Irina Shayk's dress was very similar to the Rita Ora's one, in which she appeared at the same party. Interestingly, did they meet each other there?
Beyonce, Met Gala, 2015
A lot of transparent fabric, a drop of crystals in "strategic" locations, charisma, and voila - the perfect outfit for Beyonce is ready. However, if you are not Beyonce or you do not have the same courage, it is not recommended to repeat such a look. Even if it is Givenchy Couture. By the way, that was not the only naked dress that evening: J. Lo and Kim Kardashian were in open dresses as well, but Beyonce's outfit is our favorite.
Ciara, Grammy 2016
It should be admitted that the idea of Alexandre Vauthier dress is brilliant: on the one side we see a girl in an elegant silver maxi-dress, but just she turns the other side – and we see an Amazon in erotic black body. The mould is broken at the front - there is a strong impression that the dress is not finished. Ciara was not embarrassed at all. The star is in excellent fit, so in her case it is possible to come to the ceremony in a half-dress.
Madonna, Met Gala 2016
You would think that nothing may surprise you after Madonna's appearances at Jean Paul Gaultier show in 1992, when she came to the podium in a dress "emphasizing" her bare breast. But the singer has proved that there is no limit to perfection. The attire she demonstrated at MET Gala 2016 represented a manifesto against ageism (age discrimination). Most of people did not understand the manifesto, and the singer heard comments that sometimes you just need to accept yourself for who you are, and not try to prove to others that you are still "hoo!" Madonna is in great shape, but why to show it by getting into the weird thing made of organza and medical bandages? Should be terribly uncomfortable …
Diane Kruger, Vanity Fair Oscar Party, 2016
The only thing we can say here is that both the girl and the dress are beautiful. That is the case when "naked" dress is not epatage but a compliment to the lady's figure. Diane Kruger was recognized as one of the most stylish stars at the event. The dress does not even look transparent because of cleverly laid pattern and sewn fringed tassels.
NEW LOOK
In 1947, when Europe just started recovering after the war, Christian Dior created a silhouette that will forever go down in history as New Look. This, without doubt, is the main designer's invention made an outstanding contribution to the fashion world. Dior did not think up the name (it did an American journalist and editor Carmel Snow in her review of the first collection of Christian Dior house); he did not plan to do revolution and just wanted to women in post-war Europe to "look beautiful again." World War II fashion seemed to him too ugly: massive foam rubber shoulders, baggy knee skirts, huge platform shoes. The designer believed that all these clothes did not emphasize the beauty of female figure. Having spent his childhood on the North-West coast of France, surrounded by mother and her friends dressed in luxurious Edwardian gowns, from the early age he knew that woman is adorned with accented waist, long puffed skirts, corsets and wide-brimmed hats. Owing to New Look women became weaker sex again, they began to wear dresses with sloping shoulders and wasp waist, and Dior was immediately internationally recognized.
BAR JACKET
One of the most significant inventions of Christian Dior – is the famous bar jacket, tight-fitting, short, with a peplum frill on the waist line. Dior believed that such a thing is a must-have for every lady attending cocktail parties in hotel bars, and that is why he gave the jacket such name. Typically, Dior sewed bar jacket from satin or silk fabric, accessorizing it with circular satin buttons. He proposed to wear it with narrow trousers or pencil skirt.
NARROW-WAISTED PUFFED SKIRT
Long puffed skirt narrowed in the waist and with crinolines in the hips is still considered the brand accent of New Look and of Christian Dior fashion. Sometimes the designer used more than 40 meters of fabric for such skirts, and many of them weighed several kilograms, that caused violent criticism from Dior's colleagues. Coco Chanel talked about his work: "Dior does not dress women – he stuffs them." However, women liked these skirts offered to wear with heel shoes and fitted low-cut tops. Due to the unique cut the skirts kept their firm form even when stored on a hanger.
PENCIL SKIRT
Elegant pencil skirt with length of just below the knee is the unaltered part of the famous Christian Dior silhouette. Dior created it with the aim to emphasize the seductive curves of female body, and it is considered the standard of elegance and style up to this day. The couturier offered to wear it with bar jacket or fitted top.
MISS DIOR
Christian Dior quickly proved himself not only as a master of women's fashion, but also as a successful entrepreneur who first began licensing his brand. In addition to fashion design, he became interested in other aspects of business, including female perfume. The first perfume of Christian Dior house, named "Miss Dior", was created in 1947 - the year of the famous collection marked the beginning of New Look style. "I created this perfume to envelop every woman with aroma of passion and to see my dresses in the bottle," Christian Dior said. The chypre fragrance created by two famous Parisian perfumers Jean Carles and Paul Vacher went down in history forever and it is still one of the best selling perfumes in the world.
The gossips surrounding a person who will wear the new first lady of the United States has been continued since the Trump's election. Designers, refusing to provide her services, expressed in turn their opinions on Melania. Just a month before the inauguration, Tom Ford who has explained his position as follows: "American first lady should be closer to the people, but the clothes I create are very, very expensive", joined the unfriendly camp in the face of Marc Jacobs, Cynthia Rowley, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim.
The reason for this fashion-baiting was not only the political affiliation - immediately after the victory of the Republicans, a letter of the French designer Sophie Theallet, who dressed Michelle Obama, came to the Internet. In her message Sophie urged her colleagues to boycott the wife of the new president who, in her opinion, is not only far from the fashion world, but also from the general values. "Racism, sexism and xenophobia, promoted by the presidential campaign of her husband, are not compatible with the leading American postulates. I refuse to dress Melania Trump and urge the other designers to do the same", Theallet wrote.
In the light of all these events, the main intrigue was the name of the designer who will agree to dress Mrs. Trump for the presidential inauguration. Dolce & Gabbana, Melania's old friend Michael Kors, master of the fashion world Karl Lagerfeld, and "the true American designer" Ralph Lauren were the most obvious candidates. Many people staked on the latter because Ralph Lauren's team supported Melania Trump at the most crucial time for her family – the night of announcement of the results. That night the new First Lady appeared in a white Lauren's overall that caused a lot of talks, as before that, Ralph Lauren dressed the Donald's rival - Hillary Clinton.
As that was predicted by the critics, on the long-awaited day "X" he made a good service to both his clients. Melania came to the celebration in a sky-blue Ralph Lauren classic pencil dress and a short jacket. The ensemble was completed by the blue winkle pumps and long leather gloves that reminded of the style of the other First Lady - Jacqueline Kennedy. 16 years ago, Melania (born Knavs) talked that in the case of marriage to the US president her role model would be Jackie-O. However, in contrast to Mrs. Trump, Jacqueline was on friendly terms with all renowned fashion designers.
No one could guess the designer of Melania's inaugural ball dress. That was not Karl Lagerfeld, as press was confident, but the former creative director of Carolina Herrera Hervé Pierre. He made for Mrs. Trump graphic white dress with a deep cut decorated with a flounce on the top and a red belt. The first lady preferred small stud earrings to heavy diamond jewelry.
Melania's look was already named the most modest and elegant in the history of the balls, and their dance with Donald to the Sinatra's "My way" – one of the touching moments of the year. "I did it my way", Trump sang along with the legendary singer.
Left without support of the fashion elite, Melania decided to create her own team, giving a new round of fame to Pierre who once left out of things as well. Such a context attracts even more attention to Melania's wardrobe, turning her into a new fashion star. And while Trump copes with the disorders with the help of the fiery speeches, his wife's clothing speaks for her not only spectacularly, but also quite effectively.
Couple days ago, Simon Porte Jacquemus, the creator of Jacquemus brand, celebrated his 27th birthday. On the birthday of one of the youngest stars of the fashion world, we remember other French designers whose names are on everyone's lips in the last years.
SIMON PORTE JACQUEMUS
For the past few seasons, Vetements has been called the most important discovery of the Paris Fashion Week, but three years ago, the title belonged to Jacquemus: Simon Porte Jacquemus deserved the status of the main hope of the French independent fashion overnight, after autumn-winter 2013 collection show which the designer held in one of Paris pools. The great start led to the deserved prize for the development of the brand of 150 000 euros by LVMH in 2015. And Simon Porte has lived up the expectations: the designer regularly shows successful collections in Paris, in which he continues mixing simple silhouettes with geometric appliqués.
OLIVIER ROUSTEING
Even people far from fashion know Balmain creative director in person. Appointed to his current position only in the age of 24 years, over the past 5 years, the designer has gained wide popularity because he realized in time that social networks is a tool of promotion that is even better than direct advertising. And it is difficult to argue with that. Great popularity of "80's" and "ultra-luxury" Balmain dresses proves that Instagram photos of Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez in the brand dresses promote the brand perhaps more effectively than spreads in magazines.
CHRISTOPHE LEMAIRE
Despite the fact we won’t have the heart to say that 51-year-old Christophe Lemaire is a young designer, it is he who embodies the French fashion today. Intelligent cut and strict minimalism are those things that were estimated by Lacoste, and then by Hermès: Lemaire worked in the position of creative director at both brands. In 2014, the designer decided to concentrate on the own brand - Lemaire which he manages together with his life partner Sarah-Lyn Tran. In addition to success sales among Lemaire's high achievements are two collaborations with the mass-market giant Uniqlo, which was followed by the appointment as a creative director of the Japanese brand.
ISABEL MARANT
Isabel Marant for sure will be associated with the threadbare platform sneakers for a long time: a few years ago, you had to line up on the day of replenishment of a shop assortment to get the treasured pair. Nevertheless, an impressive amount of fans Maran owes not to popular sneakers, but to the recognizable style which the designer has not been changing for years. Isabel Marant clothes can be unmistakably identified by boho fringe-like elements, colorful embroidery and other ethnic details that has been remaining the leitmotif of each Maran's collection for the last 20 years.
Last Thursday, Delaware court authorized the sale of the whole material and intellectual property of American Apparel for $ 88 million to the Canadian giant Gildan that specializes in wholesale of low-price clothes. The decision was not a surprise almost for no one: the brand filed for bankruptcy back in 2015, but all the while tried to keep its head above water.
Founded in 1997, AmAp known for its risky advertising campaigns and scandalous reputation of the founder, Dov Charney, will have to close all of its US stores by the end of April 2017.
However, sales began to decrease in comparison with the main American Apparel's competitors - Forever 21 and H&M. "The company is dead," Charny, who was expelled from the brand by the board of directors’ decision because of the scandal related to harassment of the models and staff, said in an interview. Now he runs his own street wear brand named "That's LV-1046 Rīga". – "They just use the name here and there. But the spirit has left the body for a long time as it was with Polaroid and Sharper Image."
Scandals pursued American Apparel from the beginning and Charney kind of was proud of their number. As he said: "Any PR is a good PR." But a good PR-specialist is not always a good manager and the brand of expensive clothes for youth has become the failed company with a dubious reputation in the minds of consumers. Over time, pure provocations became non-profitable. Everyone tired of paying too much for basic things you can buy three times cheaper just because they are not made in America.
Social conscious can’t be self-sufficient - it must be based on meticulous commercial calculation. No matter how much you wave the flag of LGBT community time to pay bank debts will come sooner or later.
Charney is not a unique case. In America, especially in California, there is a lot of youth and street wear designers who created their brands in the 90's: from Eric Brunetti's legendary skate brand FUCT to New York's Mishka founded by Mikhail Bortnik. All of them are going through hard times because of the street fashion's rush for unification - either you're wearing a new capsule collection of Supreme miraculously found on Grailed, or nothing. The very concept of unique youth clothes with prints on T-shirts and provocative advertisements seems to be outdated.
In the end, the main American Apparel's failure was exactly what made the brand popular from the start - the principle of "humanism and individualism is more important than commercial success." Consumers prefer cheaper clothes made in the Third World countries than more expensive clothes produced in the US. Almost for 19 years, the brand has been trying to put the employees, many of whom were immigrants from Mexico, above any serious financial strategy. All this will be gone as soon as the brand and its assets will be transferred to Gildan. This week, near 3,000 of American Apparel workers were dismissed and dismissal of the remaining staff is expected the next week. Gildan, who produces its shirts in the Philippines and Vietnam and sell them on the internet and in such hypermarkets as Walmart and Target, will certainly produce T-shirts cheaper and faster, but investments in ethical and humane attitude toward employees are unprofitable for such companies.
Beauty gives way to pragmatism - the motto with which American street fashion came in 2017.
